


Things Kayryn doesn't write

by Kayryn



Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, Plot Bunnies - Freeform, story ideas that will never be written
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2018-11-22 04:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11372700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kayryn/pseuds/Kayryn
Summary: A collection of fic ideas that my brain produces as they are. That is, not as complete stories but as ideas, plot bunnies, headcanons, raw drafts, whatever you want to call them.





	1. Soulmates AU

**Author's Note:**

> I’ve been reluctant to do this because I’ve felt that no one wants to read story ideas that will never ever be written, but I’ve finally caved because I need an outlet for these ideas (and because my friend lysachan keeps telling me to post these anyway). But I really, really can’t reiterate enough that there’s a 99.99999999% chance that none of these plot bunnies will ever be written or finished. So feel free to ignore them if unfinished stories / rough plot bunnies are not your thing.

My head is so full of ideas of how they could find out that they're soulmates… when they’d see their names. First time scrubbing for theater, the arm wrestle…

I’m currently toying with an idea that they meet just as they’ve both gotten married and Bernie has Cam who is maybe two or three (and maybe Bernie is pregnant with Charlotte?) and Serena has Ellie who is just a few weeks old.

They’re clearly drawn to each other. They’ve always heard about the bond between soulmates, have witnessed it when it’s happened to others, but neither have been sure if it’s quite as amazing as they’ve always heard. Turns out it is. They have that instant bond, that absolute certainty that they’re meant to be together. And yet… They go their separate ways because commitments they’ve made, family, kids… they don’t even keep in touch. It happens sometimes, with soulmates when they meet after they’ve made other commitments. Some break those commitments to be together but some don’t. Bernie and Serena end up staying as they are, for whatever reasons (kids, most likely). It’s not an easy decision, far from it. There’s tears and there’s promises of never forgetting each other.  

But then Edward cheats and Serena is left alone with Ellie. Wondering where Bernie is. She checks a few local (and not so local) hospitals but it leads to nothing. Then she stops because they’d agreed to let each other go and just because her marriage failed doesn’t mean she’s going to destroy Bernie’s by coming back into her life.

Cut to ten years later (give or take a year) when Ellie comes to the hospital with her friend, drunk and high. Things happen as they do in canon in the S14 episode. And then the next day Serena is at home, cleaning out the damage when there’s a knock on the door.

And there’s this beautiful, tall woman with a rather sheepish looking teenager behind her.

And it takes a few heartbeats… it’s been years after all, but then it clicks. Stunned, but acting as if this is the first time they’re meeting, Bernie introduces herself as Ms Wolfe and says that this here is her son and he’d like to say something. Cam reluctantly steps forward and apologizes for contributing to the chaos in the house and offers to help with the cleanup.

Serena sees that this is probably part of a punishment for the kid (and she was just about to tackle the downstairs bathroom with vomit all over the floor and parts of the wall), and she invites them in. While Cam is cleaning the toilet (without complaint), his mother helps “Ms Campbell” with some of the other cleaning. Which really means that they go into the kitchen and just stare at each other for a while.

And the pull is there. Serena hasn’t been in a serious relationship since Edward. Part of the reason is Ellie, part of it is her job, and part of it is knowing that Bernie is out there. She just can’t.

Bernie feels conflicting emotions when she hears Edward is out of the picture. Part of her is elated because now Serena is free… but then Bernie is not. And Serena, while she tells Bernie she tried to find her after things with Edward fell apart, seems to be of the mind that Bernie shouldn’t divorce just because they want to be together. Serena has valid reasons. She saw what her divorce from Edward did to Ellie. She doesn’t want the same for Bernie’s kids.

Bernie knows there’s another side to it though. Marcus has always resented the fact that Bernie has a soulmate. He didn’t have a name on his wrist, but he loved Bernie and wanted her. He thought he could make her love him as he loved her and when it didn’t happen… he can tell Bernie loves him but she’s never been in love with him. Theirs was never a great romance and he resents that he can’t have that. And it’s putting a strain on their marriage. Has since almost the beginning. Cam was an accident but Charlotte happened because Marcus had wanted another child to “complete” the family. He’d thought that by creating the perfect family he’d make Bernie love him the way he wanted her to. And when that failed, he blamed her. He blamed her for running away, too. To Iraq and Afghanistan. Accuses her of wanting to stay away from her family. He’s not right. But he’s not wrong either. Bernie doesn’t want to leave her family… or she wouldn’t, if it was the right family. And family with Marcus doesn’t feel right.

Bernie knows, deep in her bones, in her soul, that she’d never want to leave if it was Serena she was with. And it’s something that she feels very guilty about. It eats at her.

So when Bernie finds Serena again, she doesn’t want to let go. Not again. But, since Serena refuses to be the reason Bernie’s marriage would end, so they remain friends.

Only that’s not easy. It’s clear from the very beginning, their first coffee “date” that they click in every way. While they’re “just friends” it’s clear that the emotional bond between them is stronger than any other they’ve experienced before.  

Of course Bernie would still be in the army at this point and so after a few months Bernie leaves and it’s a 10 month tour. She’s in constant contact with Serena. Her kids as well, more so than ever before because Serena encourages it. Keeps telling Bernie that the kids need her even though they say they’re used to mum being away and they’re fine with just dad at home. And Bernie doubts Serena but does as she’s told anyway and turns out Serena was right.

Bernie is still in Afghanistan when Edward comes back to Holby (just as in canon) and when Serena tells this to Bernie, Bernie is a bit worried and seriously jealous. A few of their phone calls end abruptly with Bernie is a bad mood, before Serena figures out that Bernie is worried Edward is winning her back. Of course (unlike in canon) it doesn’t happen.

I also have this idea that over the years Marcus stopped coming to the airport to welcome Bernie home. Maybe it was just something like one of the kids was sick and he couldn’t meet her… but it stuck. After that one time, there’s never been anyone to welcome Bernie at the airport. And that’s what Bernie thinks this time as well. She’ll just go home and she and Serena have plans to meet for coffees next day. It’ll be wonderful to catch up in person. Bernie is trying to find the courage to approach the subject of them being together again. Now that they’ve stayed in contact… the ten months away was hell. She ached for Serena every day. In a way she never ached for Marcus. Before, before Serena re-entered her life, Bernie had missed him at times, but it was more the idea of him… someone, waiting. But with Serena it was different. She missed her smile, her laugh, her touch, the twinkle in her eyes, the way Serena smells when they hug, the way she rolls her eyes at Bernie when Bernie is being an idiot. She wants all of that and more. She needs more.

And then Bernie is met at the airport not only by Serena but by all the kids as well. Marcus isn’t there, of course. Serena had done the courtesy call and asked him to come too but he’d declined, saying he had to work.

The women and kids all go out to eat and the evening evolves… kids get dropped off at homes… Adrianne (who is still mostly okay) is staying with Ellie and Cam and Charlotte have made plans to stay with friends. (Bernie is slightly disappointed that they’re so quick to leave her, but they are teenagers, so she’s trying to ignore the stab in her heart and focus on the fact that she can have Serena to herself all evening). And so Bernie and Serena go and find a quiet place somewhere to talk.

They admit they’ve both missed each other like crazy. Serena is still trying to maintain the “friends only” thing but it’s really not working what with her need to touch Bernie at all times and the longing looks she’s aiming at her.

Then Bernie says she’s left the army. This was her last tour.

“Marcus will be pleased.”

“Didn’t do it for him.”

“Bernie…”

“I did it for me. I can’t be away from you for that long, Serena. Not ever again.”

So it’s time to face the fact and the hopeful but fearful look in Serena’s eyes gives Bernie the courage to do what she needs to. She says she’s going to ask Marcus for a divorce. Bernie tells Serena that even if they’re only ever to remain as friends, this is what she needs to do because it’s not fair to her or to Marcus to stay married when she knows how she feels.

Insert first kiss. Which basically blows their socks off and leaves them aching for more.

And so Bernie goes home to tell Marcus and the kids. The kids get it, have always wondered why their parents are married since there’s someone else’s name on mum’s wrist. Charlotte has always insisted that if she gets a name she won’t marry anyone but that person. And Cam looks at the name on his wrist and feels the same way. He’s seen how unhappy his parents are and he wants more.

Marcus is furious. Accuses Bernie of cheating, which Bernie says she never did but she refuses to argue with him about it because it’s pointless. He wants her to be the villain and he’s not going to listen to reason.

He tells her that very night to leave and she does. She kisses the kids goodbye and it hurts to leave them this time, more than it ever did when she went on tour (even though she’s only going to check into the nearest hotel).

Charlotte is crying and clinging on and Marcus is looking at her accusingly. It makes Bernie doubt her decision. But it’s too late to back away now. She gets into her car and drives a mile before she has to stop. Her phone buzzes and she checks it, sees several messages from Serena. Calls her.

Serena picks up right away and all Bernie has to do is to say Serena’s name for Serena to know (not that she didn’t already guess) how it all went. She tells Bernie to come over.

And I could go on and on, but basically Bernie ends up moving directly with Serena and a few weeks later Charlotte follows and a few months later so does Cam.

And Bernie is there for Serena when Adrianne gets sick. They take care of Adrianne together and Bernie is there to take care of Serena when Adrienne dies. Charlotte and Ellie are close and it’s Charlotte who tells her mum that Ellie is using drugs. It’s Bernie who tells Serena and who finds a clinic for Ellie to go to.

And through everything they go through, all the hardships, all the ups and downs, they stick together and are stronger for it.


	2. I see you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ep18.51

After telling herself, repeatedly, how stupid she’d been to not only tell Bernie how she felt, but to then make a scene in front of thei- her entire ward, Serena feels the need for fresh air. She leaves AAU to go outside, to the Peace Garden. Sits there, looks at the spot where she and Raf drunk-buried her mother’s ashes and wonders how scathing Adrianne’s comments would be about this whole mess Serena finds herself in.

She then looks around, beyond the garden and feels her breath catch in her throat as she sees Bernie sitting in her car, banging her head against the steering wheel.

Wavering between fresh hurt and the still burning desperation to have Bernie stay, Serena has to decide whether to go back inside and let Bernie go, or try one more time.


	3. priorities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Based on the recent spoilers… this wasn’t going to be this detailed, it started as three sentences but then just…grew. It’s not quite a fic, but almost trying to be.

A trauma patient makes Bernie reconsider her priorities and what she really wants out of life. Work has always been everything to her; it’s always been more important than friendships, family, her marriage and, in some ways, even her children. But she’s never missed anyone like she misses Serena. Of course she missed her kids and even Marcus when she was on tour. But she’s never felt this gaping emptiness inside her, this all-consuming ache to be near someone else. It’s the first time in Bernie’s life that even work can’t provide enough of a distraction. 

 

And so, as she gets home that night, she calls Serena. They haven’t been in contact much, but every time they have, Serena sounds a little better. She’s still far from the Serena of ‘before’, but she is healing. 

 

They talk on the phone, Serena knowing something big must have happened for Bernie to call. She listens as Bernie tells about her day, about her patient. At first it just sounds like another day at the office, but then Serena starts to pick up on the little things that Bernie isn’t saying. Asks a few questions and gets Bernie to admit she’s not sure what she wants out of life anymore. Work used to mean everything but now… it’s becoming less meaningful. It no longer fulfils her the way it used to. Bernie’s voice is teasing as she says it’s all Serena’s fault, but Serena can hear the truth in the words. 

 

Bernie asks about Serena, how things are at the vineyard. Serena tells her that the harvesting is about to begin and it’ll be a busy two or three months ahead. She sounds rather excited about it, which is why Bernie is surprised when she suggests that maybe Bernie could come to Paris for a week or a long weekend soon to spend some time together. Bernie somehow manages not to ask if they could meet already next week, but they make tentative plans to meet sometime in September. 

 

When they say goodbyes, Bernie feels hopeful again for the first time in a long time. She finally has something to look forward to. 

 

A week later Serena’s phone lights up again with Bernie’s name on the screen. She’s stunned, devastated, and angry, to hear that the trauma unit which she and Bernie worked so hard to build has been torn down. Bernie sounds aimless and uprooted; she’d thought she’d finally found a place to belong in the civilian world, but now it’s been taken from her. 

 

Serena tells Bernie to pack up and come to France. Screw September and screw Paris. She tells Bernie that the house she’s renting is small, but she’s sure they can manage. Instead of a week in Paris, they can take a few days to see the city somewhere between picking grapes. Bernie is hesitant to accept Serena’s offer at first; the whole point of Serena going away was for her to find herself again, to heal, to do that all on her own. But Serena is adamant that she’s well on the mend and misses Bernie, wants to see her, wants her to come. She tells Bernie that she’s not ready yet to come back to Holby, but she is ready to start to rebuild  _ them _ . In the end Serena adds a promise that if she, at any point, feels like she needs more time alone, she’ll tell Bernie and they’ll change their plans accordingly. Satisfied with that caveat, Bernie agrees.

 

It’s only a few days later that Bernie stops her car on the side of a road in front of a small, rather idyllic looking country house. As she gets out of the car, she hopes she’s got the right place this time, she’d found herself lost twice so far and it’s getting late. But then the door opens and Serena’s there. Her face is free of makeup and hair is shorter, grey instead of the dark chestnut brown it was the last time Bernie saw her. Bernie thinks she’s never looked more beautiful. 

 

They meet in the middle of the path between the house and the road, holding each other close, breathing each other in, kissing, unable to let go. It’s minutes before they can loosen their hold enough for Serena lead them to the house. 

 

They enjoy a leisurely evening eating the meal Serena had prepared and then retire to bed soon after. The next morning, after a repeat of the activities of the night before, they get up and make breakfast together and they start to catch up things. Bernie tells her much of what has happened in Holby since Serena’s departure, and Serena telling Bernie how she’s settled here in the valley. Serena brings Bernie to the vineyard she’s been ‘apprenticing’ at, introduces her to the people there before they begin to work.

 

Bernie soon finds out why Serena would like this. Much of it is manual labor, mechanical, repetitive, and while it tires you out, it gives you time to think. Though Bernie is not unused to her work being demanding, and she’s strong, her back, shoulders and feet ache as they go to sleep that night. And yet, she’s already looking forward to the next day.

 

It’s a week later that they sit on a bench in Serena’s backyard, enjoying the quiet of the evening, a glass of wine, and the setting sun painting the sky in bright colors, when they first approach the subject of Bernie’s need to leave Holby. Having made a promise to Serena (and to herself) to be honest and more open, Bernie hides nothing from Serena. They talk about the phone call Bernie made after one of her patients made her rethink her life. They talk about the future even, something they’ve never really done since Elinor died. 

 

Serena places her wine glass on the table beside her and shifts a little closer to Bernie. She asks Bernie about finding her place in the civilian side of life, does Bernie have any thoughts about where to go about looking for it.

 

“I already found it,” Bernie says quietly, eyes squinting a little, smiling softly.

 

“On a vineyard in France?” Serena can’t help but find some humor in the thought. Bernie has never shied away from work, but vineyards and winemaking is more of Serena’s cup of...wine, not Bernie’s and even then, just temporarily as Serena has always hoped to return to medicine one day.

 

Bernie draws her closer and Serena snuggles against Bernie’s side, relishing their closeness.

 

“No,” Bernie amends, “I don’t think my place is on a vineyard, as lovely as this valley is.” 

 

Bernie grows quiet for a moment, making Serena wait. But Serena knows her well enough to give her time to find the words. She also knows that, after everything they’ve been through, whatever Bernie’s answer, they’ll figure things out together. 

 

“It isn’t a place or a job… I’ve searched my whole life for a place I belonged to and for a long time my job was enough to fulfil that need. But it isn’t a place. It isn’t a job. It’s you. I belong with you. As long as it’s okay with you.”

 

The end


	4. USS Holby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An AU idea that came to me after reading ddafgent's post about Berena sci-fi AUs...

Serena Campbell is the new Captain of the Starship _Holby_ , their mission: scientific exploration. However, on their very first mission, Campbell gets new orders to find and capture a Maquis vessel that disappeared into the Badlands. Starfleet is especially interested in the leader of the vessel, Bernie Wolfe. She’s a former Starfleet Captain who resigned to join the rebel cause. While Campbell’s loyalties are firmly with Starfleet and what it stands for, she can’t help but wonder what would make a decorated officer to abandon everything they’ve worked for and join the Maquis.

When _Holby_ enters the Badlands they look for the Maquis ship, but instead of finding it there’s a massive wave of powerful energy and _Holby_ is swept clear across the galaxy and deep into the Delta Quadrant. They’re now 70.000 light years away from the Alpha Quadrant, Earth. Campbell is 70 years away from her daughter, her boyfriend, and everything she’s known.

She has little time to think about that however. The ship and crew have suffered heavy losses, dead crew members include her second-in-command, helm officer, chief engineer, and the medical staff. Before they get their bearings, the crew are transported to a holographic simulation aboard a nearby array by a being called the Caretaker. Seeing through the simulation, the _Holby_ crew discover the Maquis, unconscious and undergoing strange medical experiments. Before they can react, the _Holby_ crew are subjected to the same experiments. Later, both crews awake on their own vessels and find they are missing a crew member: Ensign Jasmine Burrows. 

Campbell contacts Wolfe, asking if perhaps Burrows was transported to their ship by a mistake, but learns that they’re missing one of their own as well, Zosia March. Campbell offers to work with the Maquis leader to find the missing people and return to the Alpha Quadrant. Though things are a bit rocky and trust is hard on both sides, Campbell and the Wolfe make a good team. They manage to rescue their missing crew members but they also end up gaining a new enemy hell-bent on getting their technology. During an attack, Wolfe orders all her people to transport to the _Holby_ and sacrifices her own vessel (and nearly her own life) to save _Holby_ and all people in it.

Campbell is then faced with an unenviable decision as using the array to get back home would mean the destruction of an entire species. Their other option would be to destroy the array and save the species, but that would mean that their journey home would take at least 75 years. With a heavy heart Campbell orders the array destroyed, stranding them. It’s a decision that is hard for everyone to swallow, but the Maquis Captain Wolfe offers her support and in return Campbell offers to join their crews and make Wolfe her First Officer so that they can find a way home together.


	5. remember me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bernie is still in Kiev, but Serena's tired of being angry. She can't ignore how much she still loves her, can't forget her. But what happens when Bernie forgets Serena?

Bernie is in Kiev and Serena is left with taking care of the AAU and the trauma unit. All very canon and stuff. Serena alternatively seething and despairing because Bernie hasn't responded to her text or emails. Not even after Hanssen had told Serena the job was completed in record time. Still, Serena can't forget the woman and she clearly can't stop loving her, angry though she may be with her right now, still. 

 

Then one day when Serena comes back to her office from surgery she sees she's had two phone calls from a number that starts with +380. Ukraine. She doesn't question why she remembers it, only knows she saw it somewhere and when she did, she instantly knew this was one of those things she was always going to remember. 

 

Serena looks at the phone and wonders why Bernie would ring now. To apologize for leaving, for the radio silence? To tell her she's coming back? Or that she's found a new home in Kiev and won't be returning, that this is goodbye. 

 

Serena isn't ready to hear whatever it is that Bernie has to say to her. She's too afraid of whatever it is. And she still has a few hours of work to finish. She decides to ring Bernie back once she's home, preferably with a glass of Shiraz in her stomach and another waiting. 

 

Several hours later Serena is sitting in her kitchen, staring at her phone. Jason had finished watching his shows a while ago and is now in his room. He'd been annoyed with her tonight because she had paid even less attention to the quiz shows than usual and, though he loved to win, he declared it an unsatisfactory win as she hadn't even tried to get any of the questions right. She'd apologized and promised to make it up to him later in the week by watching two episodes of whichever quiz show he chose and giving it her all. He'd accepted and peace reigned again. 

 

Serena's finger is hovering over the Ukrainian number, hesitating. It's late in Kiev now, but that's really just an excuse not to ring at this point. She knows Bernie and knows that even though she'd rang her, she must be over-analyzing why Serena hadn't answered. It would be just like Bernie, and would also explain why she hasn't tried to ring Serena again for the rest of the day. She takes another gulp of wine and taps the screen. 

 

The voice on the other side is not one she expected. It's a woman, but with a accented English and definitely not Bernie's voice. At first Serena's heart sinks. Thoughts of Bernie with another woman flood her brain and she grips the wine glass so hard it almost breaks. Still, somehow, she manages to introduce herself and say she'd had a missed call from this number. Asks for Bernie. 

 

"Bernie?"

 

"Yes. Bernie. Berenice Wolfe. Isn't she the one who rang me?"

 

The woman on the other end says that no, it was she who'd tried to reach Serena earlier. Serena doesn't understand and that's when the woman explains who she is (Larisa something) and that she's from a hospital in Lviv where they're treating a woman with no memory, no identity, no personal effects. They've assumed the woman is British and the only thing on her that gave them any clues was Serena's first name and phone number on a piece of paper. 

 

The next morning Serena is on her way to the airport, still shaken by everything she'd heard. She's called Cameron, asked if he or Charlotte wanted to come with her, but they'd agreed in the end that Serena would go alone at first, feel the situation. Then, depending on how Bernie felt about it, what would seem like a good idea, Cameron might join Serena in Lviv later. 

 

There's a layover in Warsaw but finally Serena is in the same city as Bernie. The woman she loves, the woman she's dropped everything for, even after all that's happened. The woman who doesn't remember who Serena is. 

 

When Serena arrives at the hospital it’s late in the afternoon. She's directed to the right ward and meets the woman who introduces herself as Larisa, the woman Serena had talked to the night before. She takes Serena down a corridor and then the next, explaining that Bernie has been informed she's about to have a visitor, but not much else. 

 

They pause behind a closed door and Larisa offers to take Serena's suitcase to the office while she visits Bernie. When Serena nods and thanks her, Larisa gestures for the door and tells Serena to go in when she's ready. 

 

Serena isn't sure she's ready. No, that's not true. She knows she's not ready. She still hasn't had enough time to wrap her head around this, even though all she's done since the phone call last night is think. She hadn't slept the night before, had dozed for maybe an hour on the flight from London to Warsaw. She's exhausted, she's scared, she feels helpless and she feels woefully unprepared. 

 

She takes a deep breath and knocks on the door. Waits until she hears someone, Bernie, tell her to come in. 

 

Serena closes her eyes and takes another sleep breath, opens the door.   



	6. Flipping the script

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Borrowed from Grey’s Anatomy, somewhat.

Bernie gets hit by the IED. She’s flown to Holby, but after seeing Marcus and his reaction to her not wanting to quit the army, Bernie decides it’s time for a divorce.

She’s thinking she’s going to go back to Afghanistan, but then she talks to the kids and they’re against it. Really against it. They’ve always known it was a possibility that Bernie might get hurt or worse. But now it’s actually happened. It’s scared them. Just don’t go back, please.

Bernie has no choice but stay. She’s surprised not to feel conflicted about it in the end, not when her kids ask her.

She recovers from her surgery well. In the midst of physical therapy and everything else, she finds herself a new flat, moves a few things there and that’s that.

Gets a call from Hanssen who offers her a job as a locum, based on a recommendation from Naylor.

Bernie accepts of course, but explains to him that she’ll have a bit more recovery to do but won’t take long, if he can wait.

He says he can.

Bernie soon gets bored staring at the walls of her flat. She goes out for walks, buys books and reads them in record time. She even goes as far as going shopping with Charlotte.

Then one evening as she’s bored out of her skull, she decides to go out for a drink. She’s not in the mood for mindless chitchat. Not tonight. She likes to observe people, but tonight she hopes people will leave her alone, so she brings a book with her.

She’s sitting in a corner of the pub with her book, killing time, when she looks up and sees this absolutely stunning woman with short dark hair at the bar, accepting a glass of red wine from the bartender.

Bernie knows that she’s staring but she can’t help it.

The woman looks around, clearly looking for a place to sit. Bernie is so busy admiring her she doesn’t stop staring until the woman’s eyes meet hers.  Bernie blushes, looks down and pretends to read.

A moment later there’s someone standing next to Bernie and a voice - one that Bernie already knows will feature in her fantasies for a long time to come - asks if the other seats around Bernie’s table are free.

Bernie doesn’t have to look at the woman to know it’s her. Still, of course, she looks and gestures for the woman to sit down.

First names introduced. Small talk. They establish it’s the first time either of them are visiting this particular establishment. Bernie because she’s recently moved and Serena because she usually frequents a pub close to work but needed a different scene tonight.

Insert loads of flirting. Loads of innuendo. Long looks. Heated looks.

They end up at Bernie’s place shagging the night away and it’s glorious.

In the morning Serena leaves early, says she has to dash, needs to be in Cambridge in a few hours.

Bernie watches her go, wondering if she should ask for her number because she knows she’d like to see her again. Not only was last night… well, amazing doesn’t begin to cover it, but she *likes* this woman.

But Serena is out the door before Bernie can figure out how to ask her for her number or if they can see each other again. She sighs, then thinks that she can always go to the same pub again to see if the woman would be there, even if that’s to be unlikely. Then she tries to put it out of her mind because they hadn’t agreed to anything beyond this one night.

Bernie sees she’s running late. Gets showered, chooses clothes fit for a first day on a new job and leaves in a hurry.

A few hours later Bernie is almost ready to quit. If she was the quitting type that is. Instead, she goes out to have a smoke. Sees a woman arguing on the phone about her car. She can only see the back of her, but after last night she’d now recognize that voice from anywhere.

Bernie steps a little closer.

“Engine been growling or whining?”


	7. Crime pays well. Business pays better.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> inspired by the manip I made the other day - Crime pays well. Business pays better. The manip was for Kate Stewart/Serena Campbell, but the AU idea that came from it is all Berena.

Holby in the 1920's

 

The city is torn apart by fighting crime lords: Guy Self, Ric Griffin, Marcus Dunn and Edward Campbell. People die, guilty people. Innocent people, too.

While Self and Griffin are well established crime lords and have their own turfs and mostly don’t fight with each other, Dunn and Campbell are relatively new in the business and end up fighting over the same streets, businesses and people. And money, because that's what it comes down to, after all, at the end of the day. (Edward has been in Holby longer, but has had to fight his way up. Marcus is new, but immediately well known around the area.)

Meanwhile, their covers are of course, well-to-do, proper and decent businessmen. Their wives are both in charge of charities etc.

Serena Campbell is especially interested in education of children. Girls, specifically. She runs a charity that allows children from poor families to go to school rather than work or stay at home and take care of their younger siblings. Serena was a teacher when she met Edward. As she got married she had to give up working, something that didn't sit well with her at all. So, over the years she's hit the books, educating herself. When Edward's gambling threatened to ruin them, she took over their finances. Turned out she had a mind for numbers. Later on, as Edward's influence grew, he hired someone to do the books, but Serena still keeps an eye on them without Edward knowing. She also has the ear of the man who's in charge of the books.

Berenice Wolfe (Bernie, please) runs a charity that focuses on orphaned children. Getting them off the street, fostering, adopting, etc. Bernie is an heiress of some nobility. Father was an army man. She was the only child and headstrong, decided to keep the family name because she was the last of her line. Her occupation was wife, but she's always known she can do more and so she's educated herself her whole life. Helped with and then ran charities, helping the poor. Volunteered during WWI as a nurse etc. She's all about challenging herself, driving herself to do more and be better, to use her influence for good.

Bernie is more hands on with things. She's more about doing the legwork and planning events and figuring out how to entice people to give their money to children in need. Serena is more about the numbers, though she does her fair share of legwork as well. Slightly different approaches with similar goals.

While Edward and Marcus fight a war that's getting bloodier by the day, Serena and Bernie meet at a charity lunch. They get to talking first and immediately click. (Serena is her flirty self and Bernie’s just enjoying the company of such a beautiful and clearly classy lady.) It's only when, a moment later, their hostess introduces them to each other, do they realize they're actually supposed to be enemies.

Only... why should they be? Neither Bernie nor Serena are blind to what their husbands do, but they’re not their husbands and they have their own, almost separate, lives from them. And just because their husbands are at war, why should they be?

At the end of a pleasant evening they go their own ways because though they get along, they know how difficult it would be to be friends given everything. Though they don’t know it, both have rather difficult relationships with their husbands and think that befriending the wife of the enemy would only escalate things.

\--

But over the next several weeks they keep running into each other, mostly because their charities are so linked. Being friends is sort of inevitable.  And, when one of the other women ask them to run a charity event together, they find out that if they just pool their resources, they can do so much more.

They keep their co-working a secret from their husbands, which isn't always easy, considering how well connected both men are. But once Bernie and Serena have mutually decided their husbands can go hang with their war, it's instant, deep friendship.

Weeks go by and Serena and Bernie meet to discuss the event. They end up renting a small office to run things from, as it’s easier to meet there, away from the prying eyes of their husbands and their contacts. Mostly they meet to organize the upcoming charity event, but also to just have lunch as friends on a few occasions.

One morning they have an argument. Serena has had a rough couple of days at home, and things had heated that morning into a shouting match. She’s on the edge as it is. Bernie and Serena have been planning the charity for a few weeks now, but today Bernie steps over the line a bit, talking to someone about the event concerning one of the things Serena is in charge of. Serena sees it as Bernie trying to take over. Bernie says she was just trying to sort it out because the service they'd ordered was clearly much too expensive and she has contacts too.

Serena is still not happy and tells Bernie so. To which Bernie huffs that she was just trying to watch Serena's back. Serena doesn’t think she needs anyone to do that for her. She’s done just fine organizing these events on her own and she’s surely capable of handling her share of it now. She leaves the office, telling Bernie that she can then sort it all out on her own as Serena’s done.

Only Serena has to return a few hours later when she realizes she's left her gloves behind. If it were any other pair she wouldn’t bother for the sake of gloves, but they were a gift from her nephew and therefore special.

She comes back inside and sees Bernie trying to make sense of the numbers and muttering to herself about not understanding how she keeps getting the wrong total and why does Serena make it look like there’s nothing to it.

Serena watches silently for a moment. She is amused, impressed, touched and maybe a feeling a little guilty that she'd really did intend to leave Bernie with so much to do. She enters the room and takes the books from Bernie without greeting, shows her what needs to be taken into consideration in addition for everything to add up, explains her system. She then sits down behind her own desk and starts to work.

Bernie looks at Serena for a moment and then carries on working. A few moments later she asks Serena if she wants tea and Serena says 'yes, please' and that’s that.

Later that evening, they're saying their goodbyes as they’re about to go into different directions. It’s foggy outside, the kind of cold that seeps into your bones. Bernie stops to make sure she has enough cash for the taxi home. Serena is just a few feet away behind her when Bernie takes one last look at her.

Serena looks behind her at the same time and the two smile and Serena says something to Bernie which neither one will ever recall. A car comes out of nowhere and Bernie has just a few seconds to run to Serena and push her out of the way. They hit the pavement but miss the car by inches.

The car swerves and nearly hits a streetlight some 20 yards behind them, but then disappears into the fog. There’s no one else around.

They stop to check they're both okay. Decide that though it's late, it's not too late to go into a corner pub to get something fortifying before heading home.

Serena thanks Bernie, Bernie assures her it was nothing. “You'd have done the same.”

A while later, sitting in a pub that's quite rowdy and definitely not a place you'd usually find the women in, Serena takes a sip of her wine (not Shiraz but still red) and tells Bernie that maybe she does need someone to have her back after all. "And I may not be an action woman, but I'd be happy to watch yours as well."

The words carry a lot of meaning, considering who they are, who they're married to.

And they're stronger for it. It's like that short disagreement, the near accident and the promise to have each other's back cements their friendship.

\--

Finally the day of the charity event comes. This means, though, that the husbands finally figure out that the women are more than just passing acquaintances. And they're not happy. But, there’s no persuading the women and both make the point that if they, after working so well together, suddenly stopped being friends, surely that would cause suspicion as well. Serena even tells Edward that it’ll look good if she ‘cozies up with the wife of the enemy’. It’ll certainly calm some authorities for a while as surely the wives wouldn’t be friends if the husbands were rivalries. Edward is satisfied with Serena's reasoning, though he warns her to not tell Bernie anything about their businesses. Serena walks away and rolls her eyes; who's the one who blabs then they've had a few too many shots of whiskey?

Bernie for her part listens silently as Marcus rants about the friendship with Serena. He eventually asks her, "Well, don't you have anything to say?"

"No, not really." And she leaves him to it. She's not going to defend her actions to him and she's not going to reason with him. They've been on a brink of a divorce for years and the only reason she's stayed is because while she has connections of her own, Marcus has even more, and she can use his connections to do good. Also, his growing reputation means that certain people are reluctant to tell her no.

The event itself is a huge success. In fact, it works so well that a Swedish businessman asks them for a lunch one day.

Bernie and Serena are intrigued, they have no idea what he could possibly want from them. They meet him for a business lunch a few days later and it's not an exaggeration to say Bernie and Serena are surprised when he offers to donate money for a girls' school. All he wants is for the women to run it together. He's seen how they work together, judging by the work they've both done individually and now as a team.

So, of course, Serena and Bernie say yes.

\--

A few months go by and Serena and Bernie are getting closer to starting up the school. They've bought an old, large townhouse and they've hired people to remodel it into a school. They've been searching for teachers.

All this while Serena and Bernie have gotten closer and closer and there's all that touching and flirting and long looks.

They often work late at the school themselves. Not unheard of for them to stay once the workers are gone. They put the kettle on and drink tea, or Serena pulls out a bottle of Shiraz and they’ll drink it from the teacups. They don’t have chairs yet, or sofas, so they sit on the floor, side by side, leaning against the wall.

Both feel the closeness. Enjoy it, soak it in, feel the loss of it when it’s time to get up and go home. Both trying to suppress their growing feelings. With little luck.

One night they’ve been sitting on the floor again, arms, hips, legs connected, leaning against each other as much as the wall. Finally it’s time to go home, way past time in fact. Bernie gets up first, pulls Serena up, pulls a bit too hard, gets an armful of Serena. Pressed close, faces mere inches away, breathing the same air. Time stops. Bernie looks at Serena, studies her face, Serena does the same and licks her lips, Bernie kisses her. Pulls back. Serena chases the kiss, pulls Bernie back for more, grasping her arms, moaning softly. 

Bernie flees. Serena asks her to stay, tries to make her stay but Bernie leaves anyway.

Next day Serena comes back to the school, anxious to see Bernie. She hasn’t slept much, can’t stop thinking about the kiss. Can’t stop thinking about Bernie. They have to work this out. She wants Bernie to kiss her again. Wants more than kiss Bernie. But she’ll settle for friendship if that’s all Bernie’s willing to give. She’ll even apologize if that’ll make things okay, even though she’s far from sorry and Bernie was the one to kiss her first. Yes, Bernie did kiss her first. So Bernie must’ve wanted it, right? But then she’d left. The thoughts go round and round in Serena’s head, not giving her any peace.

But Bernie doesn’t show. Takes two days before Serena finds out that Bernie’s left Holby. She’s back in wherever her family home is. The word is that she’s gone to look after the place, there’s some rebuilding or something to be done and Bernie’s gone to oversee that. Bernie’s son, Cameron, is there to help but apparently Bernie feels that she’s needed as well.

Serena is angry. And sad. And heartbroken. And in love.

But, she has the school to finish. Their project which Bernie has now abandoned on Serena’s shoulders. She thinks bitterly that while she’d once considered leaving their joint project, Bernie had actually done so.    


Serena tries to understand why Bernie would just leave without saying so. Tries to reason with herself that maybe the situation at Bernie’s family home is more dire than she realizes. So, she writes a letter to Bernie. Hears nothing back. Writes another letter. Still nothing.

Serena throws herself into getting the school up and running. Works long days, drives herself hard.

At the same time the war between Edward and Marcus is getting worse. Edward is drinking more and comes home almost every night with news of another one of the boys hurt or worse.

The situation at home gets to the point where Edward complains about her being too tightly wound. Tells her to take a few days to go and relax. She scoffs at the notion, but when Jason tells her the same thing, says he’s worried about his Auntie, she reconsiders. She takes a few days to go to their cottage/country house near Bath. Still works from there as well, planning things and making lists of things she needs to do, writing letters and making calls. But she also takes time to take walks, read, to see old friends. On her second to last day she goes riding. Spends the whole day away, taking it easy and just enjoying the nature and the feel of being on  a horse. Enjoys the peace. It’s the first time since Bernie left that she’s starting to feel better.

When it’s getting late she steers the horse back and encourages it to a gallop. Feeling nothing but the wind and the horse, Serena smiles genuinely for the first time in weeks.

She takes the same shortcut she always does, over the hill and jumping over the low stone wall.

There are large tree trunks, cut and on the ground, in small piles over a long distance on the other side of the wall. Serena doesn’t see them until it’s too late. Doesn’t see them until she and the horse are in the air, jumping over the low stone wall. The horse stumbles and Serena’s thrown off. By some miracle she lands in a soft, mossy are and not the trunks or even the stones nearby. She’s sore, hurt, and will undoubtedly have bruising all over her body, but nothing seems to be broken, which is a miracle, really. Her horse, however, is not so lucky.

The next day, despite her now aching wrist, she writes another letter to Bernie. The first in weeks and, she thinks, probably the last one. She has no idea when Bernie’s coming back to Holby, if she’s even coming back. The continued silence speaks volumes. Serena’s been a fool to have considered Bernie her friend, a fool to have trusted her. But what hurts more is that she knows she loves her, is in love with her, even now.

When writing the letter she mentions that she’s been at the country house for a few days, taking a few days off, but that the school is nearly finished now with the opening day approaching fast. In fact, it’s exactly two weeks away. She mentions, sort of offhand, that it’s a good thing there’s still time for the scrapes and bruises to fade, as it would look unseemly to be black and blue when welcoming new students in. In brackets she explains she had an unfortunate accident with her horse, but doesn’t explain further.

She looks at the letter, reads it twice before folding it into an envelope. Mails it at the railway station when she leaves back to Holby.

\--

Serena’s been back in Holby for over a week and the day of the school opening is just a few days away. She’s busy with last minute details and meetings with teachers. Barely pays attention as Edward complains at evenings about losing a few of the guys that work for them. The violence has been escalating and it’s getting to an all-out war. Serena is concerned but only mildly so; she doesn’t have time right now to focus on Edward’s businesses, but thinks that once the school year is open and things start to run on their own a bit more, she will have to see what she can do about the problem. If anything.

The day of the school opening is finally here. Well, they have a huge opening ceremony the day before the children start school with the teachers and the children and their parents. Also the press is there and some of the ladies Serena knows from different charities. Mr. Hanssen has travelled back to join the celebrations as well, though Serena is amused by the idea, considering how he is.

There are speeches and the children sing a song they’ve practiced for weeks in advance. Hanssen gives a short but still strangely heartwarming speech, thanking Serena and Bernie for all their hard work. Serena swallows and tunes out the words, focusing on keeping her face devoid of the emotions that are storming inside her.

She’s still not heard from Bernie and now, she doubt she ever will again. Getting this school up and running was such a passion for them both; Bernie not being here is a clear sign she’s left and has no intention of coming back. But Serena can’t allow herself to think about that now. Not when there are dozens and dozens of people here, all joyful and happy and excited.

So, when Hanssen asks Serena to say a few words, Serena puts on a brave smile and takes out her notes. She thanks Mr. Hanssen for his generous donation without which none of this would be possible. She thanks the workers and the volunteers who’ve worked hard and tirelessly to make the vision come to life. She thanks the teachers and wishes them good luck. She thanks the parents for trusting them with the education of their young. And in the end, with her voice almost clear, she thanks Bernie. For her partnership, for her drive, for her vision and her support. She has planned to say more, but can’t.

Once Serena steps aside, it’s turn for one of the teachers to give a small speech and after that they direct everyone to another room where they have set up an afternoon tea buffet.

It’s a moment for Serena to stay behind. She makes a quick escape to the school’s office to gather herself. Sits down and puts her head in her hands. Winces as her wrist bends in a way that still hurts after the accident. She’d been right when she’d written to Bernie; most of her scrapes and bruises are hardly visible now and the ones that are she can hide.

She’s trying not to think about Bernie. Trying not to wonder where she is and what she’s doing instead of being here. She’s trying to avoid thinking about her so much that she doesn’t hear the soft knock or the door opening.

“You were generous in your credit to me, especially considering the last two months.”

Serena freezes but doesn’t turn around. She’s not sure she can face Bernie right now. She’s overwhelmed. Conflicted. She’s exhausted from the work and the stress over the last several weeks. She’s been agonizing over Bernie leaving and the silence from her end, angry and devastated in turns. She’s worried about the increasing number of people working for her husband that are getting killed. But she can’t help the way her heart starts beating faster when she hears Bernie’s voice, can’t stop the wave of relief washing over her. Only for it to be replaced by uncertainty. Is Bernie here just for the day or for good? What does it mean?

Serena finally turns to look at Bernie. Takes her in, standing there in the doorway, looking apprehensive and uncertain, like she’s about to make her escape.

“Bernie…”

Whatever Serena would’ve said is left unknown as one of the ladies Serena knows through charities comes in, tells them others are waiting and wondering where Serena is. The press wants to interview her.  _ Oh, hello Bernie! How wonderful to have you back, even if you left Mrs. Campbell in a bit of a lurch, oh well, I’m sure you’ll make it up to her, she’s worked so hard, you know. Come, come, they’re waiting… _

They’re in front of the press, Serena, Bernie and Hanssen. Questions asked and answered. Bernie makes sure to praise Serena in every answer she gives (and only gives answers when a question is directed at her specifically), smiling hopefully at Serena, but Serena largely ignores her. Not to the point of it being obvious to others, but it’s clear enough to Bernie. When Serena is asked questions she’s her usual eloquent self and Hanssen, as always, is a man of few words.

After the press conference/questions, the official part of the school opening is over, but people stay to talk and mill about.

An hour or so later the only ones left are Serena and Bernie and one child with her mother. Serena in the office by now and Bernie seeing to the last two guests and assuring the girl that yes, tomorrow is indeed her first day in school.

She goes to the office afterwards.

They stand in the office, silent, both of them waiting for the other to say something.

Serena looks through the window and the people there; she wants to look at Bernie but she’s afraid of what she’ll see in her eyes.

Bernie starts with an apology. “I just wanted to say… god, you can’t even bring yourself to look at me.”

“No, I can. I am. I’m looking.”

“I just… I wanted to apologize for leaving without saying anything.”

“Right.”

“And for kissing you.”

“Right. So you’re sorry? About umm… about the kiss? You regret it?”

Bernie closes her eyes. She knows she’s about to destroy the last hope of getting Serena’s friendship back, but she can’t lie. No. No, she’s not sorry that she kissed Serena. Can’t be.

“Good.”

“What?”

“Good. Because I don’t regret it.”

“You..you don’t?”

“No. And I do understand that one might not think clearly on such an occasion, but did it completely escape your notice that I kissed you back?”

“Oh, right.”

Serena smiles now, hopeful for the first time in weeks. She’s still angry beneath the surface, because Bernie had disappeared and not replied to her letters. But she can’t deny that she loves Bernie enough to want to work things through. She’s willing to do pretty much anything to keep this woman in her life.

They talk more. Stand next to each other now, both leaning against Serena’s desk. Bernie says how utterly miserable she was while gone. How lonely. She was helping Cameron to oversee the remodeling of some of the estate, but all she could think about was the school and Serena. She hadn’t dared open Serena’s first two letters for fear of Serena’s anger and hatred. Bernie says she was such a coward. Serena empathizes but her own pain is fresh, too. She says that she knows it’s not easy for Bernie to talk about things, but they really must, if they’re to avoid such misunderstandings in the future. Bernie nods, knows this. Promises to do better.

Serena turns to face Bernie, brings her hand up to caress Bernie’s cheek with her fingers, her touch light. “We’ll figure things out. Missed you.”

“I’m so sorry I left.”

“You’re here now.”

“Yes.”

“And you won’t leave again. Not without telling me.”

“Not without telling you. Not without asking you to come with me. Can’t bear to be away from you.”

They lean in closer until their lips touch. Serena can’t stop the small moan that escapes her. She’s been dreaming about this for weeks. How is it better than what she remembered?

Bernie hugs Serena but lets her go as soon as Serena gasps in pain and not pleasure. Bernie is about to apologize again but Serena shushes her, explains it’s the injuries she sustained when falling off of her horse. She’s still got bruising on her side and back.

Bernie is concerned.

They sit down on the couch is the office and cuddle close.

Bernie asks about the house in Bath. She saw where Serena sent her last letter from. Thought their country home was in Cardiff.

Serena explains that yes, they have both. The one in Bath is their private one. The one in Cardiff is a larger one, the one which they use to invite friends and business partners. But the place in Bath is just for them. Really just for Serena as Edward doesn’t like it that much.

Bernie goes silent, thinking.

“What is it, darling?”

“Marcus talked about sending some lads for a business deal around the area.”

“Oh?”

“Just thinking. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

Serena hums and leans her head against Bernie’s shoulder.

“What happened? Your letter was vague,” Bernie asks.

Serena explains.

Bernie goes silent, just holds Serena closer, needing to reassure herself Serena’s here, alive and safe.

\--

A few days later Bernie tells Serena she suspects Marcus is behind the accident. The tree trunks. Serena had said there was no reason for them to be there, wasn’t that right?

Well yes. Serena hadn’t really thought about it more. She hadn’t been aware of them, but had assumed they were needed for something. Who would leave piles of trees just laying around?

Bernie explains that one of Marcus’ old business associates met his end that way. Jumping on a horse over an wall, familiar route, unexplained obstacle behind it so that the horse tumbled down and took the man with him. She’s always suspected Marcus orchestrated that.

Now they’re both worried. The car, months ago... it had seemed like an accident at the time but was it? Bernie says she doesn’t like it. Can’t be sure it’s Marcus, or even why he would want Serena dead, but she wants Serena to be careful. Serena promises she will be. She won’t admit it, even to Bernie, but she’s worried now. A little scared even.

\--

Turf wars are escalating. Edward is complaining and drinking one night. Saying he’ll have to go to the docks to oversee a shipment himself. Serena pays no mind other than thinking about giving Bernie a ring or sending a message, inviting her over now that Edward will be gone for the evening and possibly most of the night. But she ends up not to. Instead she looks into their finances and tries to figure out how to proceed with the next thing she wants out of life: divorce.

She’s been planning on divorcing Edward for a while now, and wants to buy a townhouse or a smaller house to move into. She can already see how she and Bernie will spend their evenings in front of the fire, with glasses of wine in their hands... or their hands and mouths otherwise occupied.

She retreats to bed with those thoughts playing in her mind, her hands ghosting over her body and she imagines where Bernie might touch her. Sighs and cries out as she brings herself over the edge, thinking of Bernie’s hands and mouth on her. Goes to sleep with a smile on her face.

Serena is rudely awakened in the early hours of the night. The police are here to see her. She puts on her dressing gown and makes her way downstairs and into the front room. One of the police officers apologizes for waking her up at such an hour. Asks her to please sit down.

“He’s dead.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Serena says she needs to ring someone right away. Waits for Bernie to answer.

“He’s dead,” Serena tells Bernie first thing.

“I know.”

“What? How? The police are just here? Did Marcus say something?”

“No, wait… what do you mean? Marcus is dead.”

There’s some confusion but in the end it becomes clear that both men are, in fact, dead. The cargo Edward had gone to see to had been Marcus’, and Edward had planned to steal it. But the intel he had about the number of people at the docks was wrong and things had quickly turned into a shootout. Which had left many of the men dead, Marcus and Edward included.

Papers are making wild guesses about Bernie and Serena’s friendship being over now that their husbands have died fighting each other. Most of the city is expecting violence in the streets and riots as the Campbell and Dunn sides bury their leaders.

A few days later Edward is buried. The day after, Marcus. But when their widows turn up to support each other in both funerals, the city sighs in relief. What no one outside the circles aren’t aware of is that both Bernie and Serena have let everyone in their organizations know that further violence will not be tolerated.

\--

In the weeks after the funerals Bernie and Serena use the cover of one widow supporting another to their full advantage. They spend more and more time together, one of them often staying over for the night with the other. They both acknowledge that they should probably feel at least something aching to sadness for having lost the men they’ve been married to for over two decades, but the truth is that the only sadness they can feel is for lives lost. Anything else has been gone a long time ago.

They also start to work together again. Instead of being rivals as their husbands were, they pool their resources and help each other out, building their businesses. Ric Griffin, who is happy to be left alone to his own businesses, respects the women and how they do things, sees the wisdom of it. He even warns them about Self. And sure enough, soon Self, who would have been in the background all along to stir things up and play Edward and Marcus against each other, tries to do the same with them. But it doesn’t work.

Together the women combine their husbands’ businesses, becoming more powerful and richer than Self is, hurting his business while at it. Bit by bit they also make the business completely legal. It means a little less money coming in, but the respect they gain in return is well worth it.

One evening, about a year later, Serena and Bernie are sitting in front of a fire after another successful day. Serena sips the Shiraz and enjoys the peace and quiet while Bernie’s lying down on the sofa next to her, with her head in Serena’s lap, reading. Serena remembers her daydream of one day going just this, spending their evenings in front of the fire, with glasses of wine in their hands. Then she remembers the rest of her daydream and snatches the book away from Bernie.

“I was reading that.”

“It’s time for bed.”

“It’s not that late.”

“Bernie…”

“Oh. Right. Bed it is. Lead the way, love.”

  
  


The end

 


	8. Pride

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Holby City Pride March (sort of a reply to [_this_](https://berenaprompts.tumblr.com/post/175441619138/pride) Berena prompt submitted to berenaprompts on Tumblr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The idea first came to me in January. I don’t remember what instigated the idea, really. Maybe it was those pictures of Catherine at Pride some years ago. And the fact that Serena has clearly been supportive of same sex relationships since the very beginning.
> 
> Originally written in Tumblr messenger, so some of this is Regency's as well, as we tend to bounce ideas around.

Serena has always been an ally. She’s gone to Pride before. It was a hospital function, but she volunteered immediately. She’s managed to go to one or two after, but sometimes work intervenes. Now, she's more excited than ever, after getting involved with Bernie. Serena sort of just takes it for granted that of course they’ll go.

Bernie, on the other hand, isn’t so sure. It’s not that Bernie dismisses the importance of the event, she just doesn’t necessarily see why *they* have to be there. Perhaps she sees it as a thing for young people. She feels like she sort of missed out on that being for her and doesn't want to be in the way. Thinks they don’t have to go just because they’re together now, just because she’s out and Serena’s learned this thing about herself, too.

Serena sees it as absolutely for them, though. Tells Bernie she’s been before. Before Bernie, before her late in life revelations. And well, it took them both a little time to realize and come to terms with who they are and they should celebrate, shouldn’t they? 

Of course Bernie then says that okay, if Serena wants to go, they can go, they’ll take part in Holby Pride March.

Bernie has the entire day off, Serena only half a day, she's especially switched shifts with Ric so she can attend.

Serena frets for days what she’ll wear. She wants something different but not outrageous. She’s very aware she’s the CEO of HCH. She has to represent the hospital at all times. So she ends up wearing something a bit more low cut than usual, a pink blouse and a black cami. 

Bernie, who doesn’t necessarily get why they have to dress up for anything at all, wears her skinny jeans and a shirt with long sleeves that she ends up rolling up. (The woman has no idea.)

Serena is still trying to cajole Bernie into wearing something a bit more daring or a bit more relaxed, get into the mood of the festivities. She even suggests a feather boa but Bernie blanches and says definitely not.

\---

On the day of the march they get to a huge square where the parade starts from. They’re about half an hour early but the place is already pretty packed. Serena sees someone selling little rainbow flags and quickly goes to buy them both one.

And yes, there are a lot of young people, people their kids’ age and even younger. But older too. Bernie’s quite taken by how varied the crowd is. Of all ages, couples of all kinds, groups of friends, families.

They’ve just started walking when there's a young woman, maybe in her early 20’s, who rushes over to Serena and Bernie and greets Serena. Serena has no idea who the woman is, but this sort of thing happens now and again, and she assumes the woman is a former patient. The woman apologizes, says she shouldn’t have assumed. But she is Ms Campbell, right?

Serena says yes, she is. 

The woman introduces herself and says that several years ago she was in an accident and she was rushed into surgery, Serena was her doctor and saved her life. The woman clarifies what was wrong and what was done, maybe mentions a small memorable thing about herself or her family that then makes Serena remember her.

Serena asks how she’s doing and all that... it’s a short but lovely meeting.

The young woman also expresses how nice it’s to see Serena here. “You never know when you meet people, do you? Anyway, i just wanted to say thank you. It was nice to see you again.”

The woman disappears into the crowd.

\--

A little later Serena notices Bernie looking a little puzzled and eventually Serena asks what’s going on. Bernie wonders if she’s dressed wrong or if she’s got something on her or something.

Serena checks and says no, all clear. Why?

Well there’s someone over there (Bernie tilts her head) walking a bit ahead of them and to the right. They keep glancing back.

Once they’ve established who the person is, Serena loops her arm through Bernie’s so she won’t have to look where she’s going and keeps looking at the person instead. Soon enough, they turn and look at Bernie again.

Serena laughs and Bernie asks what it is. And Serena pats Bernie’s arm with her free hand, says the woman is just checking Bernie out, is all.

Bernie sputters that the woman is Charlotte’s age. If that!

Serena kisses Bernie’s cheek and smiles. “Just because she’s young doesn’t mean she can’t have good taste, darling.” (Super tropey, I know, but I love the idea that others notice them and they’re secure in their love.)

They slow down at some point, get to the side for a bit and have a small break. They’d arrived early and it’s a hot summer day, they’re both in need of hydrating. Bernie goes to a Boots and buys them bottles of water. They’d meant to bring their own but the bottles are sitting on the kitchen counter. Serena knows because that’s where she left them.

They lean against a building for a bit as they drink, just enjoying the moment, watching people walk by. Soon enough a small group of four or five drag queens pass them. Their outfits are fabulous and they’re all very much enjoying the march and Serena and Bernie can’t help but smile at their exuberance. 

One of them notices Serena smiling at them and says hello. Serena greets them back and of course she’s a hopeless flirt and they all love it. They all get to talking, though Bernie mostly just stands next to Serena and watches happily. 

Serena proudly tells the group that she nabbed herself a soldier and they give her a hoot and a holler. Because of course she did. One of them checks Bernie out, long and good, and tells Serena "well done".

Serena’s very smug. “I know.”

The group is just so much fun and Bernie enjoys this side of Serena, watching Serena have fun, flirting with the drag queens and just being in her element really, as the center of attention. Until now Bernie’s felt like an outsider still. She hasn’t _not_ wanted to be there but it hasn’t necessarily felt like her thing, either. Now, with these queens making her laugh and relax, she’s finally enjoying herself. It’s not only what the month, the day and the march mean, but it’s also about just having fun.

After a while the group meets with their friends and they say their goodbyes to Serena and Bernie. Serena gets hugs from them and hugs them back of course, Bernie gets at arm around a shoulder and some advice from Celine: “you better keep that woman very happy, you hear.”

Serena hears this and her eyes shine. She’s happy to have met them and, even better, she loves that Bernie’s finally having fun. Loves even better when Bernie tells Celine that keeping Serena happy is her one goal in life.

Then another drag queen, Gigi, who has already said her goodbyes to Serena, faces Bernie. She take her eye-wateringly pink feather boa and wraps it around Bernie’s neck. “From one soldier to another. Happy Pride.”

Bernie’s a little stunned, though she knows she shouldn’t be, really. By the time she gets her voice back Gigi’s left already and she can’t return the sentiment. 

Then, suddenly, Bernie gets a little teary eyed. Serena sees this of course and grabs Bernie’s arm and rubs it with her her hand up and down. Doesn’t say anything, knows Bernie just needs a moment. Knows this isn’t the place or the moment to talk.

After a few moments Bernie looks up again and Serena checks if she’s okay. Bernie nods and says they should continue.

They walk in more silence for a bit, Bernie clearly needs to digest the impact of the moment. Then little by little they start talking again. Someone stops them and asks if they can take a picture of their group with their signs. They walk next to a family with a toddler for a while and they exchange a few words with them.

Perhaps there’s a small group of friends they notice. Three young women, one of them leaning against a wall, two others hovering next to her. Bernie and Serena go over, just to check. It’s not an emergency situation or anything, but here we have two doctors so of course they advice shade or a cool place, fluids, some minerals, sugar and salt. 

\---

Eventually they reach the end of the march. A lot of people are still gathered around, staying to celebrate. But Serena has work soon and they’ve timed it so that they’ll have time for a quick bite to eat before her shift starts. 

They go a bit further away from the masses and find a Costa that’s not entirely crowded. They sit down by the window to watch people passing them by. It’s only then that Bernie remembers she’s still wearing the feather boa. She plays with it, a small smile on her face. Serena watches her and grins. The day turned out much better than she anticipated or even hoped.

Bernie looks at her and says: “I think I look rather good in this.”

“I agree.”

Serena wants to take a picture of Bernie and though she rolls her eyes she allows it.

“It’s been a good day,” Bernie says. Serena just smiles, waits for Bernie to continue, which she does. “I’m glad you talked me into this. Thank you.”

Serena gets a dangerous glint in her eye and plays with the feather boa. Leans in to whisper into Bernie’s ear, “Next year…”

 

The end.


End file.
